LOOKING TO SPRUCE UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS BUT ENDED UP JUST GETTING SICK...
Was looking to spruce up my townhouse before the holidays so reached out to a few different cleaning companies... Molly Maid was not the cheapest and certainly not the best reviewed however enjoyed the saleswoman on the phone, so decided to go with them for a basic initial cleaning. However as soon as the cleaners arrived I noticed one coughing as she came up the stairs in to my living room... I hoped it was just a random cough, and they started cleaning upstairs in the bedroom and study. I work from home so I was sitting in the living room on my laptop, and noticed that the coughing continued. And on top of the coughing I could now hear sneezing and blowing noses upstairs. I was cringing, so I went up to ask them if they were ok, and I was assured every one was fine. It was quiet for a bit, however shortly after my trip upstairs the sounds of sickness started up again.
It's pretty much a nightmare scenario to have sick cleaners as they literally touch everything! I decided that it was too late to do anything about the upstairs, however when they came down to do the living room/kitchen I would kindly ask them to leave. I didn't want to be rude but the last thing you want to be before the holidays is sick. So when they started working their way downstairs, as nicely as I could, I expressed my concerns about their health and kindly said that I'd pay them for their time however I'd prefer if they stopped cleaning and leave. However they pretty much blew me off only repeating, "it's ok." Looking back I should have been more assertive, but I got the sense they weren't gonna get paid, so they just put their heads down and continued. However you just can't be sick in that line of work especially at someone's house. Anyways I retreated upstairs and continued working. And the sounds of sickness continued while they worked downstairs. I finally had had enough and went down and said I couldn't pay them for longer than 2 hours so they needed to wrap up before then. This message hit home, so they hurried and tried to wrap up, although under normal circumstances I would have allowed them to take their time and finish. Anyways they left a bill for $175 and went on their way.
And as soon as they left I went in to disinfecting mode and used lysol wipes on faucets and door handles. Then I had to wash all of my bedding. I tossed all of my toiletries which I didn't even think of which I had left out on my bathroom counter. I ended up spending more time doing disinfecting than they were even at my house! It was just such a sinking feeling knowing literally everything in my place had been touched.
I reached back out to the sales girl whom I had worked with and she apologized and said she might be able to get someone out the next day to disinfect but with the approaching holiday it would be tricky. However at that point I was over having anyone else in my place and couldn't wait another day anyways. So at first she offered a small discount which I didn't accept, and then said she'd research more and call back. So when she did, she said the best she could do was $100 (as the cleaners needed to get paid I was told) and assured me that no one was sick, but one of the cleaners has asthma and was having a reaction to the cleaning products. This seemed strange as who would continue to use a product that affected you so badly, and the one who has asthma was not the one I initially witnessed coughing. So I reluctantly accepted the $100 offer, however said if I got sick we were gonna have some issues... and as I type this I'm blowing my nose. So the saga continues.
In conclusion of this novel I hate having to write, I feel for the cleaners however you just can't be sick in that line of work especially cleaning at someone's house. So I really hope they have access to paid sick leave so they aren't forced in to those situations. But guessing not.
Good luck with your cleaner search!